Portland, ME Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)

City Code § 17-114, adopted by referendum in November 2013 and part of Article VIII governing recreational marijuana, spells out where use is off-limits even though Article VIII legalized adult recreational marijuana within Portland. 5 ounces of marijuana and paraphernalia, and even engage in activities to ascertain how much they're carrying. But Section 17-114 draws a hard line at three prohibited locations: public spaces, school grounds, and transportation infrastructure, both actually smoking or vaping there and simply measuring out a quantity of marijuana there are barred.

Adults under 21 and minors cannot use, possess, or handle marijuana or paraphernalia at all under this article. Landlords and property owners get an explicit tool: Section 17-114(4) lets them restrict marijuana smoking on their property by posting 'No smoking' signs that cover both marijuana and tobacco near entrances. Medical marijuana carries a separate carve-out at Section 17-115 for patients under 21. The city code does not set out a stand-alone fine schedule for Article VIII violations, so enforcement falls back on the Code's general penalty provision, Section 1-15, which applies whenever an act is declared unlawful without its own specified penalty.